Crumber adjustment for endlesstype trench digging machines



1954 s. A. VAUGHN 8 ,981

CRUMBER ADJUSTMENT FOR ENDLESS-TYPE TRENCH DIGGING MACHINES Filed May 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 CRUMBER ADJUSTMENT FOR ENDLESS; TYPE TRENCH nreomo MACHINES George A. Vaughn, Newton, Iowa, assignor to The Parsons Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation Application May 27, 1948, Serial No. 29,622

This invention pertains to the art of excavating machines, and involves improvements in what are known as trenching or ditch digging machines of the ladder type.

The type of machine just referred to utilizes an enclosed boom and multiple buckets carried by endless chains traveling along the boom to dig the trench or ditch in a continuous manner to a predetermined depth, as the machine moves forwardly.

My present invention resides in providing a boom of the nature above mentioned which has a floating mounting on the frame of the machine, may be pulled up for inaction of the digging means, or lowered for action thereof, and which carries at its lower end a crumber for leveling and smoothing the ditch bottom as it is excavated. The crumber is designed to carry a portion of the weight of the boom and digging devices, and has associated novel means for adjusting same relative to the boom.

A full understanding of my invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description and to the accompanying drawings, and in the latter:

Figure 1 is a side elevation generally showing a machine embodying the essential features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view showing more clearly the adjustable crumber means carried by the lower end of the digging boom, an upper cross member of the boom frame omitted.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the instrumentalities for adjustably connecting the boom sections.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through adjacent ends of the boom sections showing the adjusting and yielding control parts.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lower end of the boom and wheel and crumber parts carried thereby, certain parts broken away.

Figure 6 is a cross section on the line 6-5 of Figure 1, showing the rollers on the upper boom section for lateral adjustment of the boom.

Referring to my drawings it is notable that an excavating or trenching machine of the type of my invention generally includes a body structure having the frame I mounted upon crawler units 2 or like portable supporting means, the frame or chassis l carryingupwardly extending side frame members 3 which side frame members are curved at their upper edges so that the rear and upper edge portions of said frame members may 2 Claims. (Cl. 37-90) constitute tracks designated 4. The machine will be propelled by a suitable engine such as shown in dotted lines at 5 in Figure l. The engine 5 is connected to drive certain parts of the excavating or digging devices to be later described.

On the superstructure of my machine body are mounted a pair of arms 6 which are adapted to pivot upwardly and downwardly in relation to the position in which they are shown in Figure 1. These arms are pivotally connected at their upper ends to a boom generally designated at A and consisting of an upper rectangular tubular section "I and a lower section 8. The lower section ii telescopes in the hollow portion of the upper section 7. In this manner the boom is extensible and suitable bolts 9 and other parts may be employed by which to connect the boom sections 1 and 8 in adjustable and yieldable relation.

To the above end the bolts 9 are pivoted at corresponding ends to opposite ends of a clevis bar H] which passes transversely through a selected pair of several sets of transverse: registering slots 1 I in the boom section 1. Bolts 9 are adjustably connected by nuts l2 to angle lugs I3 on the boom section 1. On the lower edge of the bar It is a spring seat [4 for one end of a spring l5, the other end of said spring bearing against a spring seat [6 consisting of a platewelded in place in the upper hollow portion of the boom section 8.

The foregoing structure permits of lengthening and shortening the boom within certain limits, by adjusting the nuts 12 or the position of the bar Iii in the sets of slots I l, and thereby enables increasing and decreasing digging depth operation ,of the excavating or digging instrumentalities which are carried by the boom. The spring I5 compensates for or absorbs shock when the buckets ll of the excavating means encounter obstacles, or stones are caught between the bucket chain [8 and lower idler wheel 26.

A pivot shaft 20 forms the pivot connection between the upper end of the boom and the spaced arms 6 previously referred to. For the rocking of the arms 6 to raise and lower the boom A there may be provided any conventional means such as used in the art. I illustrate diagrammatically certain cable operating means designated 2i (see Figure 1) which means is connected to the hood 22 attached to the upper ends of the arms 6 adjacent to the part 1. Winding of the cables 2| on suitable drums 23 will elevate the boom A and unwinding action of the cables will permit the boom to move downwardly relative to the side members 3 of the frame of the machine. Sprockets 24 are mounted on the shaft is and the endless sprocket chains it before mentioned, pass around said sprockets at their upper ends, the lower ends of the chains i8 passing around the spaced rims 25 of a lower chain wheel 2%? disposed adjacent to the lower end of the boom. The sprocket chains [8 travel on the rims 25 and are prevented from lateral displacement by edge portions 21 of said wheel 28 after Well known practice. I

The chains or carrier means i8 carry the digging buckets H which may be equipped with teeth and which perform the digging operation in the ditch which is made by the operation of the machine, incident to being carried downwards and upwards by the chains 58 after well known practice.

The wheel '26 is made up of spaced vertical side members connected at the axis portions by a bearing hub 28 fitting into a bearing sleeve 3i; on the lower end of the boom section 3 so the hub 28 may revolve in the axis member 3%. The hub 28 is hollow and extending therethroug'n is a pivot shaft 3! on which a crumber frame 32 is mounted.

This crumber frame 32 is of approximately rectangular form. Downwardly extending and tapering side plates 33 on opposite sides of the frame 32 are pivotally connected to the boom section 8 by receiving at their lower ends the pivot shaft 3|. I

The crumber frame 3?. is thus adapted to pivot on the lower end of the boom section.

The crumber frame 32 supports at its rear end a relatively vertical arm 34 which also in turn supports at its lower end the crumber shoe 35 which is of a flat horizontal blade-like structure and adapted to operate on the lower or bottom surface of the trench being excavated during the forward movement of the machine, incident to the rotation of the wheel 25 as the buckets ii are carried by the chains it around the wheel. Braces 36 connect the upper end of the arm ed with the middle part of the frame 32.

Mounted on the lower section 8 of the boom A is a hydraulic unit or ram designated 3? and the piston rod of this ram is connected pivotally at 38" with the forwardv end of the crumber frame 32. pipes 39 lead to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder of the unit 3i to supply and exhaust pressure fluid at opposite sides of the piston in said unit, not shown, whereby the piston rod of the unit may push upwardly or pull down wardly on the front end of the crumber frame 32.

Accurate grading as respects the bottom of the trench formed by my excavating machine, is accomplished by rotating the crumber frame on the pivotal axis 3| by operation of the hydraulic unit or pressurized unit 31 thereby to raise or lower the crumber shoe 35', this permitting the buckets IT to dig slightly deeper or shallower as desired.

When the boom A is raised or lowered for adjusting the digging depth, such operation is performed incident to the action of the movement of the crumber frame and crumber shoe because in the usual operation of the machine, the boom A has a floating mounting on the pivotal shaft supporting'mean's and the weight of the boom is thus carried partly by said shaft 2!] and partly by the engagement of the crumber shoe at the bottom of the ditch being excavated by the buckets H. In the above manner the digging depth of the buckets H is really controlled by the ad- Suitable hydraulic or fluid pressure supply justment of the crumber unit including the parts 32, 34 and 35.

A sight rod iii is mounted on a vertical standard 4| on the crumber frame 3'2 and is normal- 1y pivoted and balanced to remain in a horizontal position, in respect to two or more sight rods with horizontal bars which are set in the ground at a proper height above the grade stakes set by a surveyor for the proper grade and location of the trench. The operator determines the digging depth of the digging buckets by sighting along the sight rod it] above mentioned.

When the boom A is hoisted to raise the bucket excavating means above the ground for placing the same out of use, rollers 32 on frame 43 attached to the upper section 1 of the boom will engage with the curved tracks 4 on the side frame parts of the machine body so as to facilitate the raising of the boom and the forward travel of the latter in relation to the frame of the machine as the excavating devices are caused to be disengaged from the ground and rendered inoperative. It is also apparent that the rollers also limit the extent of downward pivotal movement of the outer end of the boom, depending on the position of the pivot 25 the rollers being adapted to engage the tracks when the boom has reached a predetermined position.

The pressure unit iii may be used for adjusting the crumber shoe 35 under all conditions of use of the machine including a condition wherein the boom A is raised necessitating pushup action on the member 38 to levelize the shoe 35 or when the boom A is lowered, necessitating a pull-down action on the part 38 for the same purpose.

The frame is,- as seen in Figures 1, 2, and 6 supports the boom A and the latter may be adjusted on the frame toward either side of the latter by sliding movement. The upper cross frame bar 44 seen in Figure 6 is omitted in Figure 2 to show the lower cross frame bars Ma that pass under the boom. The lateral shifting of the boom A onthe frame enables the positioning of the boom and digging devices at different positions transversely of the machine. The boom A is fixed in its position on the frame 53 by clamping bolts 48. Rollers 19 on the boom section 1' support the boom A on the frame 43 when stationary and moving sidewise.

Guide arms t5 project downwards from the frame 43 adjacent the rollers 32 and extend on the inner sides of the main frame sides 3 to guide the up and down shifting movements of the boom frame it with its boom A, preventing lateral displacement of the latter. Upper and lower brackets ie on boom section I have rollers ii to engage and guide the upper and lower laps of the chains it. The chains is are kept under tension by the spring i5 action maintaining the boom section 8 under compression. The tension on the chains i8 is sufficient to pull the crumber attachment on the lower boom section.

In order to carry off the materials dug by the bucket excavating means i'i', a conventional conveyor B is provided, the same being supported on the frame of the machine and beneath the upper end of the digging chains. The materials deposited onto the conveyor B is thus moved to one side or the other of the machine. The conveyor B may be driven in the usual manner so as to effect the movement of the materials as desired, the same comprising well known construction and forming nopart of the present invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a trench digging machine, in combination, a body comprising a portable traction base, a boom, mounting means between the boom and body supporting the boom from one end in a floating manner on the body, carrier means comprising endless members movable longitudinally of the boom, a wheel on the boom at its outer end about which the endless carriers pass, digging instrumentalities on said carrier means to move therewith, a crumber unit including a horizontal blade-like shoe movable on the bottom of a ditch dug by the digging instrumentalities, said shoe being mounted on a rigid frame pivotally connected to the boom for supporting same at its outer end, and a power unit on the boom connected with the rigid frame of the crumber unit to shift the said unit around the pivotal mounting therefor.

2. In a trench digging machine, in combination, a body comprising a portable traction base, a floating boom, a pivotal connection between one end of the boom and said body enabling the boom to swing in a downward direction from the body, an endless carrier on said boom for travel longitudinally thereof, digging buckets connected to said carrier, and a crumber unit comprising a rigid frame consisting of a horizontal member, an arm extending downwardly at the rear of said member, a flat horizontal blade on said arm engageable with the earth at the bottom of a trench being excavated, a second arm at the other end of said member, said second arm being pivotally connected to the boom at its free rear end to support the buckets during their digging operation, and a power device connected to the boom and to the horizontal member for adjusting the shoe on the arm at the rear thereof, around the pivotal connection of the second arm and the boom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 340,128 Kersey Apr. 20, 1886 469,293 Carver Feb. 23, 1892 939,731 Miller Nov. 9, 1909 1,183,633 Conroy et a1 May 16, 1916 1,239,474 French Sept. 11, 1917 1,287,781 Steenrod Dec. 17, 1918 1,405,044 Kubo Jan. 31, 1922 1,415,869 Fischer May 16, 1922 1,484,841 Monahan et a1 Feb. 26, 1924 1,630,231 Vaughn May 24, 1927 1,689,981 Vaughn Oct. 30, 1928 1,717,476 Topping June 18, 1929 1,804,587 Bowman May 12, 1931 1,832,787 Penote Nov. 17, 1931 1,850,363 Vaughn Mar. 22, 1932 1,869,446 Weikel Aug. 2, 1932 1,959,768 Seyferth et a1 May 22, 1934 2,311,834 Hollmann Feb. v23, 1943 2,480,294 Hume Aug. 30, 1949 

